Using Extended AC Optimal Power Flow for Effective Decision Making

This paper is motivated by the need for software capable of dispatching many diverse resources as system conditions vary widely. At present, a major gap exists between the software applications needed by the changing electric power industry and the software available. As an example, we present an ACOPF software tool called NETSSWorks that can bridge the gap with its capabilities of: 1) performing optimization over many available decision variables, ranging across real power generation, demand, and T&D voltages; 2) auto-selecting the cost function to be used and automatically changing to a different cost function as conditions vary to achieve an overall objective of providing maximum service at minimum cost; and 3) selecting the most effective dispatch to be made which would bring the selected cost function close to its optimum. Such software would provide the most effective dispatch in an advisory manner for the next dispatch time interval and continue optimizing in a lookahead way as new data becomes available. Additionally, such ACOPF tools must deal with potential infeasibility and also be able to diagnose potential causes of infeasibility. By means of two examples, the IEEE 30-bus system and the New York State grid, we demonstrate the use of NETSSWorks for finding the most effective equipment dispatch and compare to today's industry practice.